Yieldable tenter frame support



' March 31, 1959 J. KIRKISATRICK YIELDABLE TENTER FRAME SUPPORT Filed OCT.. 26, 1956 A A A A A A A lll I. l

/// WM l f. /3 p M. L. W 91m /lu m INVENTOR. JOHN K/QKPA TQ/CK BY a y g United States Patent O 2,879,579 YIELDABLE TENTER SUPPORT John Kirkpatrick, Mechanicsviue, comi. Application October 26, 1956, Serial No. 618,529 4 Claims. (Cl. 26-57) This invention relates to a yieldable tenter frame support and refers more particularly to a mounting which may be adjusted to yield under the application of a selected tension.

Prior art constructions have not been able to advance an advantageously developed device for preventing damage to textile fabrics when applied to a tenter frame.

During the application and processing of a textile fabric upon the frame the tension mounts as the width of fabric increases. The frame rods are rigidly constructed and mechanically fastened to the tente'r frame that prohibit their movement laterally. As a result, the cloth tears along its selvage causing irreparable damage.

The present inventive concept enables the frame rods to yield at a predetermined point for the increased tension upon the tenter frames. This construction therefore is economically advantageous as well as being readily manufactured. The cloth will not be able to become torn, and previously damaged cloth will'b.v turned into usable goods.v

An object of the present invention therefore is to provide a device for preventing costly damage to textile fabrics.

Another object is to provide a greater degree of flexibility for attaining a yielding point in textile processing having a known tensile streng Y Still another object is to provide a device to bear added tension of a textile fabric as it is being applied to a tenter frame.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

In the attainment of the aforesaid objectives, the inventive concept of the present invention may be realized through the provision of a construction that is constituted of two parallel rods diagonally disposed within a container and separated by an adjustable tension arm that has an indicator at one end to show the tensile strength prevailing momentarily for the particular textile fabric being applied upon a tenter frame. This tensile strength of the fabric may be adjusted upon a calibrated tension scale that is pre-determinedly calculated in a known manner. A movable stop may be disposed within one corner of the container through which a tenter frame rod is projected to prevent oscillatory movement of the rod. A tension spring may be circumjacently disposed intermediate the movable stop and the tension arm that is also constructed to possess desirable physical properties in relation to the particular textile fabric being applied upon the tenter frame.

The support may be constructed of rigid material preferably steel and may be of any suitable shape or size. It may be disposed at any desirable location along the horizontal axis of the tenter frame.

The retractable frame rod may be inserted through the container at any desirable angle of approach conducive to the efcient operation of the tenter frame.

A fuller understanding of the present invention may be had by referring to the following description taken in 2,879,579 Patented Mar. 3,1, 1959 2 conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top view of the support of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the support taken along the line 2 2 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the support of the present invention showing the calibrated indicator scale in greater detail.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the support taken along the line 4-4 as shown in Figure l.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the steel frame supported on a track showing the support of the present invention mounted on the tenter frame stand.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, reference numeral 10 indicates the container of the yieldable support and like reference numerals indicate like parts. The container 10 is of rectangular shape and constitutes a box having a removable lid 12. The lid 12 is removably fastened to the sides 11 by means of screws 28 and 29. A swivel 22 is mounted on the lid 12 for attachment to the underneath surfaces of a tenter frame 32.

As illustrated in Figure 1 the interior structure of the ,container 10 includes a retractable frame rod 14 which has its outer ends 33 and 34 projecting through support openings 24 and 25 respectively of the sides 11.

A threaded tension rod 15 is diagonally disposed in relation to the retractable frame rod 14. Its outermost end 35 is supported in a recess 23. An adjustable tension knob 17 is mechanically xed to the opposite end of the threaded tension rod 15 projecting through the opening 26.

A movable stop 13 is rmly secured to the retractable frame rod 14 within the box 10 as shown in Figure 1. It will become apparent that this construction enables the retractable frame rod 14 to be held in position, and allows movement of rod 14 only in one direction.

The threaded tension rod15 is rotatable by means of the adjustable tension knob 17. A lock sleeve 21 maintains the rod 15 in the same position upon turning of knob 17. An auxiliary washer 20 prevents outward projection of the rod 15 while subjected to the strength of the fabric.

A tension arm 16 has an end opening 36 screwed upon the threaded tension rod 15. Its opposite upper end opening 37 carries the retractable frame rod 14.

The tension arm 16 is further provided with a tension indicator 18 which is adjustably fixed at one end by a screw 30. Its opposite end 38 indicates the tensile strength that bears upon the tenter frame 32. The tensile strength is read upon a calibrated tensile strength scale 19. The lowermost end 38 of the tension indicator projects through a slot 27.

A tension spring 31 is circumjacently disposed to the retractable frame rod 14 intermediate the tension arm 16 and the movable stop 13.

As shown in Figure 2 the tension Iarm 16 is disposed diagonally in relation to its position in the container 10 and between the diagonally disposed retractable frame rod 14 and the threaded tension rod 15. The upper tension arm opening 37 is greater in diameter than the diameter of the retractable frame rod 14. It will become apparent that this construction allows the tension arm 16 to move freely along the horizontal axis of the retractable frame rod 14 while knob 17 adjusts the tension arm 16 and tension indicator 18.

The frame rod 14 is directed through the container 10 at any suitable angle of approach. It will become apparent that the novel construction of the present invention will prevent damage to the textile fabrics as they are being applied to the tenterframe 32. Prior art constructions were disadvantageous and cumbersome since the textile fabric 39 would. tear completely to its ends along a selvage upon the slightest provocation. As the tension .mounted upon the tenter frame 32 the rigid construction of the prior art frame rod would not allow the tenter frame 32 to move laterally in order to encompass the added tension weight.

As shown in Figure 5, the `container 10 is mechanically fixed to a track 32a of the tenter frame 32 by means of a swivel or bolt 22. Any other suitable fastening means may be used. One end of the retractable end frame rod 14, projecting through the indicating device is connected to a stand side supporting the tenter frame 32. The opposite track 32b of the tenter frame 32 is mounted upon an identical stand which may also carry another yieldable support, if desired.

In operation:

The tensile strength of the textile material used is previously determined by a known method. The selected value constituting the yielding point is then transferred to the calibrated tensile strength scale 19 by means of the adjustable tension knob 17.

As the knob 17 is turned clockwise the indicator 38 decreases to-read correspondingly lower tensile strength values. Conversely, as the knob is turned counter clockwise the tensile strength value increases to read correspondingly greater values.

The tensile strength for the calibrated scale 19 is predetermined in a known manner utilizing the physical properties of the type of tension spring 31 that is employed for the particular fabric processed.

When the tension upon the tenter frame 32 builds` up to a point requiring relaxation of the frame rod 14 as the processing progresses, the tension rod 14 of the present invention will automatically move laterally to attain an equilibrium point between the tension and frame rod 14 thereby preventing unnecessary damage to the textile material.

It will become apparent that this construction may be conveniently located selectively along the underneath surfaces of the tenter frame 32 and a plurality of such constructions may be predeterminedly disposed for a plurality of uniform length frames.

Obviously, the present invention is by no means limite'd to the'embodiment disclosed hereinabove and many modifications or detail improvements may be arranged and equivalent means may be used for those described without unduly widening thereby the scope of the invention as dened in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A yieldable tenter frame supporting device, comprising la container adapted to be secured to a tenter frame, a retractable frame rod projecting through two ends of said container and adapted to be secured at one end of its ends to a support, a threaded rod parallel to said retractable lframe rod and journaled for rotation in said container, an arm in threaded engagement with said threaded rod and slidably receiving said frame rod, a stop member carried by said frame rod within said container, a compression spring coaxially disposed upon said frame rod and intermediate said stop member and said arm, and an indicator carried by said arm and projecting through a wall of said container to indicate the tenter frame tension 'at which the device is set to yield.

2. A yieldable tenter frame supporting device in accordance with claim l, wherein one wall of said container has alongitudinal slot formed therein, said device comprising a longitudinally disposed calibrated scale mounted upon said container adjacent and parallel to said slot, said indicator having an end portion extending through said slot and movable over said scale.

3. A yieldable tenter frame supporting device in accordance with claim l, comprising a knob for adjusting said arm and carried by said threaded rod.

4. A yieldable tenter frame supporting device in accordance with vclaim 1, comprising removable lid means upon said 'container for mounting said device to said tenter frame.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

